Good Bye Brother
by maddy midnight
Summary: this is a story i wrote from Murtaghs point of view. How would he feel if he had to watch eragon die, knowing there was nothing he could do to save him. same story line as 'Through Her Eyes' different POV. contains 'Eldest' spoilers


**A/N: Hi this is my second one shot. It is the same storyline as 'Through Her Eyes' except this story is from Murtagh's POV. I hope you like it.**

**Good Bye Brother**

Murtagh stood in his place at the funeral of a good man. His best friend, his brother. He felt ashamed but he could not stop the tears from falling, dripping slowly from his sad brown eyes.

In his arms, he held the woman he loved. She stood, her face buried in his strong chest, tears streaming down her dark cheeks. Murtagh looked around him. Every figure in the hall was dressed in black. Dwarves and humans alike had tears rolling down their faces.

He looked at Arya who stood next to him. She had tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. She had loved him. Murtagh knew. He could see it in her eyes. He also knew Eragon had loved her, but now they would never be together. He was gone from her. Never to return.

Murtagh stood, tears still leaking from his brown eyes. He remembered back to the day Eragon had died. The day he lost the only family he had left.

_Murtagh tried to avoid looking into the faces of the men he slaughtered. Why did he have to do this? Galbatorix could make him kill people but he could not make him enjoy it. _

_Murtagh watched with a sinking feeling in his stomach as Eragon and Saphira sped towards the raging battle. When Murtagh was not made to fight him, he realised with dread that Galbatorix planned to fight Eragon himself. _

_Murtagh could only watch as his brother flew to his death. No one could beat Galbatorix. He was too strong. He could also tell by his expression that Eragon knew this too. Yet still he flew to face his destiny. For better or worse. _

_Murtagh continued to fight against his will, but the whole time he had his eyes turned, watching his younger brother. _

_Murtagh watched as his brother was overpowered. He was barely blocking the strikes but all the while was muttering to himself. Murtagh saw Arya running as fast as she could towards him and he realised what his baby brother was doing. He was about to sacrifice himself to destroy Galbatorix. Murtagh screamed at him to stop but was powerless to do anything. He just sat in his saddle to watch his brother die._

_First he saw him stab Galbatorix in the chest and fall to his knees. He watched as Galbatorix fell back, never to rise again. He watched Shruiken fall to the ground with a thump, shortly followed by Saphira diving to her rider's side. He watched as Arya fell to her knees at Eragon's side crying, howling to the love of her life. Calling to him, telling him not to die._

_He looked down at the battle he was no longer participating in. It was in chaos. It had been assumed that that the war would be decided as soon as Eragon or Galbatorix died. And yet …they had both died, no one had won._

_As Murtagh thought this he realised he was free. No longer bound by Galbatorix's wishes. Murtagh turned and destroyed the ones he had forced to call allies. Attacked the ones who had made his brother's death possible._

_Murtagh slashed out Zar'roc, killing anyone loyal to the Empire. He slaughtered them unaware of the tears streaming down his cheeks._

_When the battle was over and the war was won, Murtagh flew to the ground and walked over to the Varden. He was greeted with honour. He was the reason the war had been won. They had seen Eragon fall and thought all was lost, but then Murtagh came back. Free to do his own will._

_Murtagh and Thorn walked around the Varden's camp. There was only one person he wanted to see. The one reason he didn't flee the battle the moment he was free._

_Then he saw her. She stood by her tent in her blood soaked armour, tears streaming down her cheeks. Nasuada saw him. She watched him carefully for a moment before slowly walking over. She looked into his eyes and they embraced. Nasuada cried into his chest, crying from happiness that her love was back and depression for the friend she had lost. He rested his head on hers and cried. His brother was gone, and there was nothing he could do._

Murtagh watched as the priest finished his vows and the tomb was closed. Then he was called up to the stage, to give the speech he had prepared. Murtagh stood in front of the great crowd and spoke:

"Eragon was my brother. The only family I had left. He trusted me, even after he knew my heritage. We were friends, and then I was taken away. I thought I would never see him again, I thought I had lost my only friend. And then …" Murtagh allowed the tears to fall down is cheeks as he spoke, no longer ashamed. "I was forced to betray him, to serve Galbatorix's will, something I had promised myself I would never do. And then in the battle of the burning plains, I was forced to fight him. He found out it was me, the hurt in his eyes, the look of betrayal still plague my mind. After seeing this look, I new I had truly lost my only friend. And then in his last battle, he saved me from my slavery. Just as he saved the lives of every person in this room. In sacrificing himself, he killed Galbatorix, a feat which will never be forgotten. But doing this, I lost my friend. I lost my brother, again. Except this time, he wasn't coming back."

"He was a great man and he will never be forgotten as long as people walk this land. He will be written about, there will be stories told of how Eragon Shadeslayer, a farm boy turned a rider rid Alagaesia of Galbatorix once and for all. He died with honour."

"Good bye brother, may you rest in peace. We shall meet again one day."

Murtagh stepped back into place, tears still streaming down his face. He held Nasuada close, knowing he still had someone there for him in the cruel world.

**A/N: Well that is it I hope you like it. It was sad, I know but that is the way I wanted it to be. Well anyway please Review and tell me what you thought. I can take criticism, if there are things I need to improve on please tell me.**


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